01/02/2003

RIVERHEAD MOURNS THE LOSS OF BOB KOPPLIN.

Longtime Riverhead Raceway handicapper and noted Long Island auto racing historian Bob Kopplin, 58 of Levittown passed away suddenly on Sunday evening December 22nd. Kopplin suffered a massive heart attack.    For over 26 years Bob Kopplin served as track handicapper for Barbara and Jim Cromarty first at Islip Speedway and then Riverhead Raceway. Bob also handled the public relations for Islip Speedway up until the 1979 race season and also wrote racing columns for both Illustrated Speedway News and Speedway Scene. After drivers would sign in for the night's racing they would then see the smiling face of Bob Kopplin who not only told then where to park and where they would start, but on occasion let them know if they were approaching a milestone victory.
    Kopplin, who was employed as a buyer for the Dan's Supreme Supermarket chain on Long Island, is also credited with having the best knowledge of auto racing history on Long Island. Bob kept a huge array of records on who won how many races and where all of which is currently utilized in the Riverhead Racer program sold at the track weekly.
    Still reeling from the news of Bob Kopplin's passing the Riverhead Raceway family received even more bad news on Sunday evening December 29th. Long time concession stand employee Tony Mastrangelo lost his valiant fight against cancer. Tony, who many refer to as the "beer man" in the third turn Miller stand, had been fighting a brave fight to beat the disease. What track spectators did not realize is that Tony and his lovely wife Estelle were involved with the behind the scenes aspect of the concession stands with Deborah Cromarty-Hallahan.
    After viewing Thursday December 26th, Bob Kopplin was laid to rest on Friday December 27th at Calverton National Cemetery. Tony Mastrangelo will be waked Thursday January 2nd and Friday January 3rd from 2:00 pm until 4:30 pm as well as 7:00 pm to 9:30 pm at the Chapey Funeral Home at 200 East Main Street in East Islip. Burial mass will be Saturday morning January 4th.
    Barbara and Jim Cromarty and the entire staff of Riverhead Raceway wish to express their deepest condolences to the Kopplin and Mastrangelo families, as well to multi-time Figure Eight champion Joe Biondolillo Jr., who's mother, Barbara, passed away suddenly on Christmas Eve.

Sources:  Bob Finan/Riverhead Raceway PR
Posted:  January 2, 2003